Another setback for Clemson foward Jaron Blossomgame

Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame underwent surgery Tuesday to aid the healing of the compound fracture of his left leg that occurred last April. This is the second surgery within the last 13 months for the 6-foot-7 swingman, who suffered the break during a workout in Alpharetta, GA as a high school senior.

“It’s not a necessity, but it was determined if I want to be 100 percent by November, the surgery’s the best thing to do,” Blossomgame said. “This should jump-start the healing process. It’s going to help me out in the long run, so I’m not down on myself about it. By the end of August, I should be able to start shooting and running. As soon as the wound has healed here in a couple of weeks, I will be able to start pool therapy.”

Blossomgame red-shirted last season and was Clemson’s highest-rated signee in the class of 2012, earning four-star acclaim from ESPNU. He averaged 25 points per game as a senior at Chattahoochee High School, and was a member of the Georgia Stars U17 AAU team.

“Clemson fans, just stick with me,” he said. “I’ll get there eventually. It’s not something that will hold me back; I still plan on contributing this season.”

Head Coach Brad Brownell on Blossomgame’s surgery:

“Over the course of the last six weeks, we noticed Jaron wasn’t progressing as well as he had been. Doctors have periodically x-rayed his leg and noticed the healing had slowed tremendously. All of us thought this was the best decision to give him the best chance to play next year.

“It’s a minor setback for Jaron, and it’s unfortunate he won’t be able to play on our trip to Italy. We’ve always tried to look at the big picture and do what’s best for Jaron. He needs to feel healthy in order to be at his best. Most people don’t realize how difficult the injury was.

“Jaron is a positive person and an extremely hard worker; this will just be another hurdle for him to clear. We have full confidence he’ll be able to play next season, but this will set him back this summer and into fall workouts. Hopefully, he’s able to go at the beginning of practice. He’s such a tough-minded, competitive kid that we’re confident he’ll be fine next season.”